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Norway Moves Toward the Right

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

Ben A. Arneson*
Affiliation:
Ohio Wesleyan University

Extract

Losses by the Labor party—looked upon as one of the most radical of Western European labor parties—and gains by the non-socialist groups at the Storting elections on October 20, 1930, resulted in a notable, though not a decisive, move toward the right in Norwegian parliamentary politics. The move was a remarkable one in that the Labor party lost 12 of its 59 seats in the Storting; the Conservative party added 13 to the 31 seats it already held; and the Communists, who had held three seats, were unable to elect a single representative. The move lacked decisiveness, however, because the Laborites, in spite of their losses, still constitute the largest parliamentary party. At the same time, the popular vote registered for the party was the largest ever given to any Labor or Socialist group in the history of Norway. The Conservatives did not take over the government, and the Radical government under the premiership of Mowinckel continued. While the Radicals joined with the other non-socialist parties in the fight against Labor, it advocates, nevertheless, a progressive social program. Furthermore, the present move to the right is not nearly so marked as was the move to the left in the last triennial election in 1927. The new Storting remains farther to the left than was the Storting before the 1927 elections.

The chief reason why this election deserves attention is that in it there were placed before a literate, alert, and intelligent electorate—representing a homogeneous people with a democratic background—vital issues involving the acceptance or rejection of an advanced socialistic program.

Type
Foreign Governments and Politics
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1931

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References

1 Quoted in Arbeiderbladct (Oslo Labor daily), October 8, 1930.

2 Borgerlige was the term regularly used by both the socialist and anti-socialist press in designating the groups opposing socialism. Perhaps the phrase “bourgeois parties”—or “people's parties”—might be used in translation; but as neither is entirely accurate, the term “non-socialist” will bo used when referring to the borgerlige parties.

3 The members of the Storting are seated according to districts, like those of the Swiss National Council. Nevertheless, the terms Right and Left are used in the same sense as in German and French politics.

4 Ukens Nytt, October 7, 1930.

5 Ibid., October 16, 1930.

6 Arbeiderbladet, October 15, 1930.

7 Arbeiderbladet, October 16, 1930.

8 Ukens Nytt, October 22, 1930.

9 In a few instances, women have previously been chosen as alternates.

10 The figures for 1927 are taken from Knaplund, Paul, “Norwegian Elections of 1927 and the Labor Government,” in this Review, May, 1928Google Scholar; those for 1930, from Ukens Nytt and Arbeiderbladet.

11 The figures for the Conservative party include the small Independent Liberal party, which coöperates closely with the Conservatives.

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